LAS CRUCES >> Doña Ana County voters rejected a sales tax hike and a bond to upgrade the county fairgrounds west of Las Cruces, but OK'd two other GO bonds, including one for a new 911 center.

A proposal to increase sales tax countywide to pay for three public safety projects failed in the early and absentee voting returns, a trend that continued as election-day results trickled in throughout the evening.By the end of the night, nearly 3,860 votes (about 56 percent of those cast) against the 1/4 of 1 percent tax were logged, roughly 870 more than those in favor, according to final unofficial numbers from the clerk's office.

A proposed $1 million GO bond renewal which would have paid for upgrades at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, also was defeated, according to the final results.

Voters OK'd a $6 million GO bond to build a new 911 call center, a facility officials say is much-needed and long-overdue. They also passed an $800,000 GO bond measure to finish construction on a building to house pets confiscated in hoarding and abuse cases. The bond issues won't raise property taxes, officials have said.

Las Crucen Chris Evaro, 49, backed three proposals and voted against one, funding for a new 911 call center. He said he's aware that residents are struggling financially.

"I don't see why they need to have a new building, when there's plenty of old buildings like the old city hall," he said.

Other voters said they were supportive of all the ballot questions.

Earl Greene of Las Cruces, 81, a retired analyst from White Sands Missile Range, was among those voting for the tax and bond questions. He said he's on a fixed income, but that doesn't concern him enough to keep from supporting the proposed projects.

"It's a quality of life situation, and, since I have to live here, I want the quality of life to continue to improve," he said.

Smooth election

Election officials reported a day of light, but smooth, voting at 38 locations around the county.

That was the case at Branigan Memorial Library, a site that, because of its central location in Las Cruces, typically receives many voters.

"It's gone very smoothly," said Barbara Harrell, presiding judge at the library site. "We haven't had any trouble with any of the equipment."

The proposed sales tax would have added a 25-cent charge to a $100 purchase. All three bond proposals were renewals, meaning they won't raise property taxes if they pass, but they will drop them slightly if they fail.

In all, 113,083 Doña Ana County residents were registered to vote.

County officials said results remain unofficial until a canvassing effort wraps up next week.

Just 2.3 percent -- 2,638 people -- of the 113,083 residents registered cast a ballot in a month-long early-voting period that wrapped up Saturday, according to numbers from the Doña Ana County Clerk's Office on Monday.

Sales tax measure

The sales tax would have generated an estimated $7.8 million yearly to pay for running the county's built-but-not-opened Crisis Triage Center, a facility to help mentally ill residents in crisis; to fund an annual ambulance subsidy in light of a dwindling revenue stream caused by federal health-care reform; and to take over costs of operating the 911 center, now jointly paid for by several cities and the county. It would have added an extra 25-cent charge to a $100 purchase of most goods and services.

Some residents had questioned the need for the tax. Others had criticized county spending, in light of recent high-dollar court verdicts against the county.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443.

ELECTION RESULTS

Early, absentee and 38 of 38 polling places reporting:

On the ballot: $6 million general obligation bond-renewal measure to pay for building a new 911 call center.

For: 3,677 (54.6%)

Against: 3,057 (45.4%)

On the ballot: $800,000 GO bond-renewal measure to pay for finishing a facility for animals being held as evidence in court cases.

For: 3,669 (53.6%)

Against: 3,172 (46.4%)

On the ballot: $1 million GO bond-renewal measure to pay for improvements to the Southern New Mexico Fairgrounds.

ELECTION SPEAK OUT

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